Nasdaq delists Hines
Hines Hort., headquartered in Irvine, Calif., was notified of its Nasdaq delisting in a letter on Aug. 6. Trading of Hines shares was suspended Aug. 8. Hines was delisted because the company had not filed its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2007, and Hines failed to maintain the minimum stockholders' equity requirement. Hines' bid price per share had closed lower than $1 per share for more than 30 consecutive business days. To be in compliance with the minimum bid rule, company stock must close higher than $1 per share for 10 consecutive business days.
USDA genetically engineers plum pox resistance
USDA announced it's closer to releasing HoneySweet, a plum variety genetically engineered to resist plum pox. The variety was recently deregulated after officials determined it would cause no significant impact on other plants. USDA has deregulated more than 70 GE plants including corn, cotton, soybeans and a papaya tree. HoneySweet produces high-quality fruit and may also be used to breed other resistant varieties.
Chemical could attract beneficial insects
USDA researchers discovered a compound that attracts lacewings, which are naturally occurring beneficial insects that could assist growers in pest-control programs. The product is derived from catnip oil. Scientists describe it as lacewing "cologne." It's potent -- just 25 milligrams is sufficient to treat an acre of land. Results from a 2-year field study show the compound attracts both male and female lacewings, which later produce another generation of beneficial predators. Chemist Kamal Chauhan is working with Sterling International in Spokane, Wash., to commercialize formulations that attract specific beneficial insects.
English-only initiatives gain momentum
English-only workplaces garnered more support after the Senate Appropriations Committee passed legislation to "prevent the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from bringing new lawsuits against companies that require that their employees speak English." The EEOC specifies that business owners may develop an English (as the main language) policy because of a safety concern (in cases preventing an emergency situation), a "legitimate business justification" between co-workers and customers or for nondiscriminatory reasons. An English-only policy should not, however, be applied to employee work breaks.
Immigration and border security reforms
Last Friday, the White House announced its immigration and border security reforms. If an employer receives a Social Security no-match letter, the company has 90 days to explain the discrepancies. If the discrepancies can't be resolved, the employee must be fired. If an employer fails to adhere to the new rules, civil fines or criminal investigations are possible. The no-match rule is expected to take effect Sept. 10. The White House pledged to streamline the H-2A program, but gave no specifics. To speed up H-2B processing, the Dept. of Labor will move from a government-certified system to an employer-attestation system.
Worth a visit
Joe Messer, president of Organiks, discusses his decision to start a company that produces finished organic plants for garden centers. Only on GreenBeam.com.
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Syngenta remains committed to investing in every aspect of our ornamental business to bring value to growers for producing beautifully strong plants.
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